


Manic Monday

by MissScorp



Series: The Saga of Corbin and Bright [8]
Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Axes are mentioned, Coping Mechanisms, Established Relationship, F/M, Humor, Is really more fluff than anything, Malcolm Bright Whump, Malcolm Bright has Issues, Manic Episides, Manic Malcolm Bright, Mental Health Issues, Mild Angst, Psychological issues, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:06:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26507935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissScorp/pseuds/MissScorp
Summary: Dealing with a manic Malcolm Bright requires love, patience, and compromise. Especially when he wants to throw axes.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright/Sorcha Corbin (OFC)
Series: The Saga of Corbin and Bright [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928332
Kudos: 16





	Manic Monday

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, all, and welcome! This was intended originally to be a piece for Days Since but it spiraled way way out of control. 
> 
> This piece deals with mental health issues, coping when one member has issues like Malcolm has, and the struggles therein. I hope I represented things in a sensitive manner as it was not my intention to insult or belittle those who suffer from manic episodes. 
> 
> This piece occurs after events in Holy Water but doesn’t require reading to understand, I hope. 
> 
> Please, if you like this piece, favorite/bookmark/kudo it! 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Take care!

When Malcolm became jumpier than usual, easily distracted even while on cases, and his energy levels spiked despite his foregoing sleep for three nights in a row, she anticipated she was in for a manic episode.

When he announced, “Let’s redecorate the loft,” a week after the shelter-in order went into effect, she knew hyper-Malcolm had arrived. “Let’s buy furniture — a sectional couch!” he announced with a snap of the fingers. “We’ll get a sectional couch! One with reclining chairs in it so we can be comfortable when reading or watching television.”

“We need to buy a new television first,” she pointed out without looking up from her phone. “Your mom stilleto’d the other one.”

“And we need to get some bookcases,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Maybe some cabinets, a new bed. Definitely a new bed.” His chair scrapped the floor as he pushed away from the kitchen island. “Maybe we can build one ourselves?”

“Remember how well building the birdcage went?”

“I just glued my hands to the base.”

“Tweet, chirp.” 

“Sunshine’s right. You also stapled your sleeve to the cage.”

He chose to ignore that.

“We could put a little perch in the headboard for Sunshine. Get her cups for food and water. Paint the walls a different color — blue, green, they’re your favorite — hang drapes to keep people from taking pictures of us while we’re in bed.”

Sorcha looked up from the email she had been trying to read, one eyebrow quirked, and a small smile curving her lips.

“I thought you were into video tapes this week?”

Malcolm spun towards her, excitement stamped upon his face. “We can get a digital video recorder!”

“Having a manic day, are we?”

“No.” His brow furrowed. “Why do you think I’m having a manic day?”

“You’re talking fast, you won’t sit down, you’re exceptionally animated, and you want to go on a spending spree. All signs,” she said as he rolled his eyes, “of a manic episode.”

She didn’t think it worth mentioning how he had come up with a few new sexual games for them to play. Including the use of the aforementioned video camera.

That, more than anything, was her biggest clue about how this episode was coming.

Sorcha wasn’t a prude.

Not by any means.

She wasn’t afraid of spicing their sex life up a little. They experimented with a few things over the years. Tested the boundaries of what each was comfortable with. Sorcha was also fully aware of the high-risk sexual behaviors Malcolm had engaged in when they were separated. She had stepped in a number of times over the years when he was having a manic episode and seeking ways to cope that weren’t healthy or safe.

Getting him back on his medication, helping him to figure out what triggered the episode in the first place, and talking about ways to avoid engaging in that behavior again became routine.

Communication was key between friends, partners.

As was setting boundaries.

And taking time for themselves.

Things Sorcha had admittedly been bad at doing because she was hyper-focused on making sure Malcolm had everything he needed. When they decided to give their relationship an honest go a few weeks back, she made sure those lines were the first things they established.

“You were the one who said you wanted to redecorate the loft,” Malcolm said. “Add things that are you. Make it as much yours as mine. Like our apartment at school was." Malcolm waved his hands through the air. “Let’s do it then.”

“Yes, I did say I wanted to redecorate the loft. Make it our home.” She set her phone on the bed and scooted over to the edge. “I figured we’d discuss what things we wanted to keep and get rid of before committing to buying anything or doing things like painting.”

Malcolm snatched her iPad off the counter and carried it over to the bed. “Let’s discuss it then. Make a list of what goes, stays, is needed.”

“Why don’t we go swim, instead?” she suggested. “Burn off some of that energy you have.”

Malcolm cocked his head to the side, considering.

“Or,” he said slowly as Sunshine chirped from the counter. “We could throw axes.”

Sorcha’s lips twitched.

Throwing axes was Malcolm’s other way of burning off his over abundance of energy. There was just one problem with his suggestion.

“Think your mom might get highly upset about the marks in her walls.” His crestfallen expression cut her deeply. It wasn’t that Sorcha wanted to deny him a bit of sport. She just didn’t want to deal with Jessica Whitly after she found out about them throwing axes inside. “However...” she said as an idea dawned. “We do have a garden upstairs you mangled with the hedge-trimmers. We could put up targets and throw axes up there if we finish cleaning up the mess. How’s that sound?”

“That sounds perfect!” A brilliant smile swept across his face. Filled her with warmth. Compromise was also key in relationships. Something they were learning to do. “I’ll go clean up the rest of the mess I made, you look for the targets.”

And just like that Sorcha got the garden disaster cleaned up and found a healthy way to occupy Malcolm Bright.

“See, baby girl?” she said to the budgie who flew over to land on her knee. “That’s how we keep our nest-mate from hurting himself.”

“Tweet tweet,” came from Sunshine as she shook out her feathers. “Tweet tweet chirp!”

“Yes, I know he’s a danger prone dope. He’s our danger prone dope, though, and we love him.” Sorcha rubbed her neck gently between the fingers on her right hand while reaching for her iPad with her left. “Now, let’s order him those targets, eh?” A thud came from above her head. Was punctuated by muffled cursing. Sorcha heaved a sigh. “And some bubblewrap to keep him from breaking any bones.”

“Tweet chirp.”

“Duct tape does fix everything, you’re right.”

Most especially Malcolm Bright made disasters.

Of which there were plenty.


End file.
